Sunday, 28 August 2011

Good days always comes unannounced, but while in school there was one day that I always knew was going to be a great day for me and my friends. The day, 28th August, was my school day: the feast of St. Augustine. The week leading up to the day was full of celebrations, concerts and other activities. It meant fewer classes and more time to engage in a range of extra –curricular activities. The school building and the hostels got freshly painted; the gardens and the lawns were immaculately mowed and tendered, the school chapel was relentlessly polished and decorated by the sisters(nuns), there were surprises in every meal ( which was always better than the food served during the rest of the year).

Many students got an opportunity to show their talent in music, drama, dance and singing during the week. It was a culmination of weeks of rehearsals where teachers, staff and students worked very hard to put up the best show. It was also on this day our much loved and celebrated girls from our neighbouring sister institution St. Joseph’s convent marched eloquently in pair to our grand auditorium to watch the annual concert. It was a major anticipated moment for most boys!

school concert

Personally for me, it was day of glory. The inter- house swimming competition was held on this day. I was a good swimmer and every year on this day I filled my kitty with gold and silver medals. It felt great to be cheered by friends and receive those medals in front of the entire school. Weeks later the inter-school swimming tournament, the Burn’s Shield took place, but it was not always in front of your school crowd.

Winning the medals was a joy: it made you popular, your friends and teachers congratulated you. You wanted to write everything to your parents and wished they were there to see it. But above all what was great was that the spirit of camaraderie that existed. It made you feel that everyone is a winner. I celebrated my victory with the very friends I competed against. No one envied you; and you stood by your friends when they took part in something.

Later in life, the day continued to be great for me. I got my first job in London on this day last year. I certainly miss those great school days, but that day was just not about convent girls and celebrations alone. It taught us some great values of healthy competition, love, team work and loyalty that helps me in my day to day life. Possibly I might have forgotten about this day, but thanks to Facebook, boys of St. Augustine’s or Sasonians as they are called, have been pouring wishes from Kathmandu to the US. I wish all my friends good luck wherever they are.